With his usual fluency Schubert (1797-1828) wrote the first three of his seven masses in one year (1814) and the finest of these is the one in G, which is still used in the Roman Church, and of which the _Credo_ is particularly fine. These masses were heard, in Schubert’s time, only in suburban Vienna churches, as the composer’s prestige was not sufficient for a larger hearing. Two later masses by Schubert are given now in concert form--the one in A-flat written in 1822 and the one in E-flat written in 1828. These works were revived by Herbeck and Brahms in Vienna and belong without doubt to the very best examples of this style of writing--in fact, some authorities pronounce them the greatest works of this mighty genius, excepting only the D minor Quartet. Unfortunately the parts are not all equally great. The ‘Mass in E-flat’ has a larger instrumental development than the others, the orchestra often announcing, augmenting, completing, or commenting on the text of the choral parts, as is the case with Beethoven. Schubert’s tendency in all his masses was to use themes which approach closely to the form of the _Lied_ as he conceived it. The _Gloria_ of this mass, as also of the one in A-flat, is the most magnificent part of the work. VI Of the two masses which Beethoven wrote, the first in C major, opus 80, is overshadowed by the second in D major, opus 123. While the ‘C major Mass,’ which was Beethoven’s first large choral work in an ecclesiastical form, may be lacking in some respects, it is by no means an unimportant or unworthy composition. Owing to the fact that he departed from the style of Haydn and Mozart and approached the subject from an entirely different standpoint, it did not find immediate favor. Conflicting accounts are given as to the date of first performance which took place in the chapel of Count Esterhazy, the occasion being the birthday of the Countess. Kretzschmar gives the date as Sept. 15, 1807, while Grove names Sept. 8, 1807, both agreeing, however, that it was in honor of the Countess’ birthday.